Stella's Nuzlocke Adventure
by Zirk
Summary: Young Stella Varley recieves her first Pokemon and is ready for adventure! Er... if she'll come out of her shell, that is...  -  Pokemon Sapphire Nuzlocke Challenge, rated for future violence and death.
1. Two Beginners

**AN: Okay, this is the first story I've ever written that wasn't for Grade Nine English class, and the first story I've ever posted online. Be gentle.**

**Also, this is my first Nuzlocke challenge.**

**The rules of my Nuzlocke is as follows:**

**-If a pokemon faints, it is dead and permaboxed into a box named Heaven.**

**-Only catch the first pokemon on each route. Gift pokemon and Shinies are the only exceptions to this rule, however shinies are not to be used unless they're a first encounter.**

**-Dupe Clause: First pokemon on each route that isn't a living pokemon I have.**

**-Battle Style is "Set".**

**-All Pokemon are nicknamed.**

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><p>"Well… this is it. My journey starts now."<p>

Stella Varley stared at a scuff on her favourite white boots, whispering quietly to herself. She always imagined saying this while standing on a hilltop, the breeze rolling soothingly, whipping around her small frame and causing her long caramel hair to flutter behind her as it sat under her signature white stocking cap with the little star charm on the top. She could see herself on the hill, looking down on her hometown with fond memories and an ever loyal Pokémon partner by her side… Or that's how she would write her autobiography anyways, after becoming a super famous Pokémon league champion.

She never imagined her adventure to begin in the back of a moving van, surrounded by big cardboard boxes, huddled in the corner out of fear that they would topple over and on top of her, leaving her squished.

The van lurched and squealed to a sudden halt, causing Stella to gasp in fear as the boxes loomed toward her, promising to seal her doom. Luckily, the boxes did no such thing and the doors opened, Machoke climbing in to unpack the vehicle.

Stella stumbled out of the van, shielding her eyes from the bright sunlight, and examined her new surroundings.

Littleroot was… quaint. It was a quiet and cute little town with a relaxing and carefree atmosphere. It reminded her a bit of her home back in New Bark Town, though it lacked the constant chilling breeze that was her home's speciality. Still though, she felt almost at home here. Almost.

"Hey honey!" Mrs. Varley smiled brightly at her daughter, who in response, stared bleakly up at her. "Isn't Littleroot just so cute? Ooh, I know you'll love it here!"

Stella pointed over at the house, her much too long purple striped sleeve almost covering her entire hand. "I assume we will be living here?" She seemed pissy, but hey, you'd be pissy too if your mom stuck you in the back of a moving van for 9 hours.

Mrs. Varley, however, was very peppy. She clapped her hands together enthusiastically. "Yes! That's our new home!"

_House._ She silently corrected her as she walked inside_. Not quite home_. Critically examining the interior of their new household, she was pleased to find that there was nothing she completely hated about it.

"Your bedroom is upstairs on the left" Her mother nodded, "but not everything is unpacked yet so, why don't you go meet some people? The neighbours have a son around your age"

Stella felt a lump rise in her throat. Son? She was shy as is, but throw boys in the mix… "I-I can't!" she stammered out, her cheeks flushing pink.

Mrs. Varley just sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Stella, you are never going to get over this chronic shyness if you don't go out and meet people!" and with that her mother thrust her out the front door.

With a great harrumph, young Stella Varley marched over to the front door of their new neighbour's house and knocked upon their door. _I'll show her!_

"Oh, you must be the new neighbour's daughter!" A motherly sounding woman greeted her at the door and Stella immediately regretted this decision. Social awkwardness soon set in.

"I'm Stella Varley" she nodded, keeping her head down.

The woman ushered her inside her home, a warm smile permanently etched onto her slightly aged features. "I'm Mrs. Birch, m'dear, come inside. My son Brendan is upstairs, have a seat love, I'll go fetch him so you can meet him too." Mrs. Birch then went upstairs, leaving the poor flustered teen a moment to breathe.

Her son came down the stairs with his bag slung over his shoulder and a black bandana pushing his white-blonde hair out of his eyes. Coolness seemed to radiate off him in waves, intimidating the young woman. He extended his hand. "Brendan Birch"

She shook his hand, biting her cheek "Stella Varley", she mumbled.

Brendan's eyes widened "Norman Varley's kid?" he seemed in awe.

Stella looked around the room uneasily. 'Norman Varley's kid' was a big name to live up to. She smiled sheepishly and nodded as a response.

"Way cool!" He grinned, "I'll bet you have some awesome Pokémon!"

"Um…actually…" she found herself tripping over her own words, becoming more nervous with each passing minute. "I don't have any Pokémon."

A frown stole the boy's face "Really? That blows. Mum, Dad still has those Pokémon on him, right?" Mrs. Birch nodded. "Awesome. You could be a worthy opponent, Stella, I'm gonna keep my eye on you." He gave a big grin and left.

Stella stood their awkwardly, not quiet knowing exactly what to do now. Mrs. Birch glanced over at her, a knowing glint in her eyes. "You can find his father just north of here, love."

"Ooh, thank you, Mrs. Birch!" she squealed with delight and ran out the door, looking for her ticket for adventure.

She paused for a moment, enjoying the soothing atmosphere of Littleroot once more, before heading north. A young boy of about 6 ran up to her, looking kind of worried.

"Ooh, Miss, I hear someone yelling for help out there… but I'm not allowed to leave Littleroot… could you help him, please?" His big brown eyes stared up at her and she couldn't help but say yes. Why not, she might as well run over to see what's wrong then come back to get help if needed, right?

"HELP ME!"

Stella gasped, seeing the scene in front of her. A man, likely in his thirties, was being chased by a poochyena who was snapping at his legs. It seemed she got him a few times, the calves of his legs were scratched and some blood was around the canine's mouth.

"You there! Miss!" He called out to her. "There are pokéballs in the bag! Help me out, please!"

Stella glanced down at the bag near her feet. How did she miss that? Pushing the trivial question from her mind, she reached into the bag and tossed a pokéball into the air. After a brief flash of red light, a small green lizard stood, glaring at the poochyena adjacent from him. Stella felt a rush of excitement flow through her bones as she realized that this is her first Pokémon battle. A major milestone in any trainer's life!

The black dog diverted her attention from the man to the Treecko, and lunged toward him, sinking her fangs into his tails.

"Gahh! Lady, commands?" The treecko grunted, glaring at Stella. "Or do I just um, go for it?"

"Sorry! Um, pound!" She called out to him. He nodded, and punched the poochyena, causing her to yelp and let go. "Good! Ha, um… Keep pounding!"

The treecko chuckled to himself as he whipped his heavy tails around, smashing her sensitive muzzle and causing small scarlet droplets to scatter through the air. A pitiful whimper escaped the canine's mouth before she collapsed on the ground, knocked unconscious.

"Oh, wow" He seemed exhilarated, and held a hand over his quickly beating heart.

The man looked in astonishment at Stella. "My, you're Stella, aren't you? Norman's daughter?"

She nodded, grinning ear to ear. "Yes I am."

"I'm Professor Birch, a friend of his… Come back to my lab with me, would you?" He started packing up the stuff that spilled out his bag. Stella flushed pink, realizing she was still holding his treecko's ball. The treecko in question was sitting cross legged on the ground, pulling pieces of grass out of the dirt.

"C'mon treecko, we're going back to the lab" the Professor smiled brightly at the green Pokémon. Treecko followed behind the two humans as they walked back to his laboratory.

When they got inside, Professor Birch treated his Poochyena wounds, and Stella discovered this wasn't the first time he was some Pokémon's chew toy. He had a large assortment of scars. "Well, Stella, since you pulled your first battle off with aplomb, I want you to keep that treecko. He's also a rookie, like you, but both of you did spectacularly for your first times!"

Both treecko and Stella felt their cheeks get warmer at the praise.

"So… I think you should go up north of here to Route 103 to see Brendan. He'll teach you all about being a Pokémon trainer."

"Brendan, 103, gotcha." Stella nodded eagerly, picking up her new partner and walking out of the lab. "What do I call you?" she looked down at him, smiling.

"Xyler is my name, Lady." He gave her a small smile. "I think we'll make great partners… now let's find this Brendan one?"

Xyler hopped down from Stella's grip and walked aside her as they left Littleroot, together.

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><p><strong>AN: Hopefully that wasn't too bad^^; <strong>


	2. A Couple Firsts

**AN: Sorry for the delay! Lots of... stuff happening in my personal life. It's mostly dealt with now, so chapters should be coming up faster!**

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><p>Stella's new partner, Xyler the treecko was perched upon her shoulder as they waded through the tall grass, ready to protect the human from any harm. Suddenly, he sprung off her shoulder, with what could only be described as a hiss coming from his mouth. A pokemon must be near.<p>

A wild zigzagoon jumped out of a shrub, growling in what it must have thought was a threatening way and rammed itself viciously into the body of the treecko. Xyler flew back into a tree, with some scratches on his smooth scales. A teeny trickle of blood rolled down his torso. However, the treecko just smiled up at his trainer. "Watch this, lady!" he chuckled.

What happened next made Stella a bit sick to her stomach. Her seemingly innocent pokemon crossed his hands and out stretched his arms. He made what looked like a treecko version of "come hither" with his paws and closed his eyes, looking slightly strained. Suddenly, the zigzagoon yowled and doubled over in pain. Xyler stopped, letting out a soft sigh and smiled. The cuts on his chest have healed and the bruises from his fight earlier that day have faded. The other pokemon looked sick and scrawny all of the sudden, as if he hasn't had a good meal in weeks. Stella realized with horror that this must have been the attack absorb. The gravity of what she was going to be doing hit her like a ton of bricks. These pokemon are made to be killing machines. She could die. Her pokemon could die. Xyler, the adorable wood gecko pokemon, could _kill._

"X-Xyler!" Stella gasped as the zigzagoon got visibly more and more drained of his life.

He seemed to know what she was thinking "Lady...these pokemon will not stop short of killing you. I will not allow that to happen." And then the zigzagoon slumped to the ground with a pitiful groan. "I will try to not have blood on my hands, lady, but if I must... and don't worry, the zigzagoon will live." And with that, Xyler hopped onto her shoulder and curled around her neck like a scaly green scarf.

There was a long silence between the two as the passed through Oldale and onto route 103 for what would be their first trainer battle.

"Nervous?" Stella whispered to him, feeling a bit ill at ease herself. He just nodded his response. "Alright... let's get it over with."

Brendan was at the very end of the route, looking at various articles in his pokedex. He looked up from his device and Stella noticed the colour of his eyes, a nice deep maroon. "Oh, hey!" he smiled warmly up at trainer and pokemon. "Oh, my dad gave you the treecko? Awesome. How about a quick little battle?"

He pulled a pokeball off his belt and tossed it. With a flash of red light, a small red and orange chick stood there. He fluffed up his feathers and looked up at Xyler. "Ooh, how ya doin' Xyler?"

Xyler hopped down and faced the little bird. "Hey there Syd, ready for a real battle? A no-death match, of course."

The torchic, Syd, chuckled "I couldn't ever kill you. But I'm not going easy."

Stella and Brendan smiled at each other, overhearing their pokemon's exchange.

"Alright, Xyler, pound attack!" Stella barked out, once again, feeling that surge of confidence.

"Gotcha, lady." He nodded, smiled and leapt into the air, smashing his heavy tails down hard across his opponents head. He also felt that in-battle rush. He felt invincible.

"Peck!" and upon hearing Brendan's command, Syd drove his beak hard into one of his tails. Xyler grumbled and rubbed his bleeding tail.

With a hiss and a glare, he charged at him, ready to swing his tails again to pound him.

The torchic fluffed his feathers up a bit more, giving a throaty growl. Xyler seemed surprised that such a frightening noise could come out of something so small and in the result of his shock his pound attack didn't hit as hard as it could have.

"Don't catch yourself off guard, Xyler!" he grinned tauntingly.

"I won't." Suddenly, Xyler did a backflip, smashing both tails into Syd's chin, knocking him backwards. Blood dripped out from his beak as he coughed, sprawled out onto the ground.

Brendan gasped in panic and quickly returned his pokemon, holding the ball close to his chest and whispered to it quietly. He then looked up and smiled warmly. "Wow, Stella, you're not too shabby!" He grinned "Let's go back to my father's lab."

Stella pulled awkwardly at her baggy sleeves as Brendan animatedly explained the events of their battle to his father. He merely smiled and nodded at his excited drabble, scratching his bearded chin.

"Well, Stella... I must congratulate you on your victory. Brendan has an extensive history as a trainer and by his account, you defeated him easily!"

_Extensive history as a trainer?_ Stella felt her blood run cold. _He only has a young torchic... he must have..._ She shook her head as if to rid herself of the grim thoughts.

She didn't pay much attention to what Professor Birch was saying, just nodding when she felt appropriate. Stella thanked him courteously when he gifted her with a pokedex and some pokéballs.

Brendan and Stella both left the lab and he smiled warmly at her. "It's more fun to have lots of pokemon." He said "I'm going to go catch some. See you later!"

Mrs. Varley was standing outside her house, planting a garden under the windows to make it seem a bit homier. She looked up and saw her daughter, standing there in front of her with a pokéball clasped in her left hand and her bag thrown over her shoulder.

"Stella, you look so much like your father..." A smile spread over her lips. "Are you going to take the gym challenge, like he did? You'll have so much...life experience, it'll be good for you!"

Stella rubbed the back of her neck in her awkwardness. Did her mom really want her to do this? Well, she let her husband, right?

"What pokemon do you have there, dear?" She got up and examined the pokéball. "It's been a long time since I held one of these... wow."

She pressed the button and examined the Xyler who stared up at her.

After a long gaze between the two, Xyler finally spoke "I'm Xyler"

"Kathy Varley, cutie" She smiled at him, than up at Stella. "He's a lot like you. And he's strong too. I know you always wanted to go on an adventure through Johto like me and your father did when we were young..."

"How did you know that!" She gasped.

Her mom just smiled that smile moms have when they know more about you than you do. "You're a sleep talker."

Stella blushed and smiled.

"Take an adventure through Hoenn then. There's the gym challenge, contests, and all kinds of great things!"

Xyler tugged on his trainer's sleeve. "Let's do it." His voice had a confidant edge to it. She nodded in response. Her mother merely smiled and waved them off. The power of their silent exchanges and permissions was strong.

Stella set foot onto route 101 for the third time that day; this time, with a purpose.


	3. A Few MORE Firsts

**AN: Sorry for the short chapter and the amount of time it took me to write it ;-; I just DON'T know where my muse has been lately! D: PLEASE FORGIVE ME D8**

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><p>The first step to becoming a serious pokemon trainer was catching more pokemon, right?<p>

Stella and Xyler scourged the brush for their first teammate, intently watching for any pokemon to run about.

After a few hours of searching through out route 101, a particularly strange individual tagged along...

Freckle the zigzagoon was found, snuffling the grass when Stella and Xyler found him. After a rather uneventful battle, Stella tossed a pokeball.

Once.

Twice.

Click.

There was a long pause between trainer and pokemon as they stared at the pokeball in disbelief. It seemed almost too good to be true.

"Dude." Stella gasps, grasping the warm ball in her left hand. She released the pokemon inside and decided to get formally acquainted.

After dubbing the tiny raccoon pokemon "Freckle", the zigzagoon fell into a fit of yowling laughter.

"That's a spiffy name. I LIKE it" He smiled a wide, toothy grin that made everyone feel a bit uneasy. Freckle was certainly kind of... off.

Not too long after, Xyler took down a wingull who was preening on a rock. After being swiftly stuffed into a pokeball than released, he ruffled up his feathers haughtily. "Don't name me something stupid, trainer, my name is Salty. Not Beaker or something."

"Alright" Stella nodded "Salty it is. I'm Stella."

"Nice name." And with that he perched himself onto her shoulder.

Freckle looked up at them. "OH MY GOODNESS!" he gasped "You look like a pirate!"

A scowl formed its way onto Salty's beak. Stella gave him an apologetic look and returned Freckle to his ball. "Yeah, he's a bit bonkers"

"A bit?" the wingull scoffed "He's a loonie!"

She pulled at her sleeves, "I'll bet he's an alright fighter." She added hopefully, stepping onto Route 102.

Salty chuckled "Aight then," he said with an edge of challenge in his voice. "Get him to help catch that poochyena over there."

With a flash of red, Freckle reappeared in front of them.

"Okay, Freckle, weaken that Pokemon over there so we can have a new te-"

Before the command could finish leaving her mouth, Freckle raced toward the target in a zigzag fashion, cackling madly. He slammed his body hard into his foes, knocking the canine backwards into a tree, rendering it unconscious.

Stella stood there in shock. Salty smirked at her "He really is a good fighter. That was a nice critical hit, Stella."

Freckle grinned, like a young child expecting praise. "Nice shot, kid" Salty nodded in his direction, then smirked at his trainer.

"Shush, featherbutt." Stella rolled her eyes, returning the zigzagoon to his ball. "We need to get through Petalburg."

Salty preened his feathers. "You make Petalburg sound grim!"

"It is."


	4. Petalburg's Dark Side

**AN:**

**I'm well aware that I'm a slacker. Terribly sorry.**

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><p>The flowers in Petalburg seemed to dance as the warm wind rustled through them. Stella glared at the gym the stood diagonally from her.<p>

"Salty" She murmured to her feathered friend, "I've changed my mind."

He gave her a quizzical look

"Petalburg gym... I'm not taking it on now."

Her wingull nodded in agreement "We need more train more-"

"No." She cut him off "I'm skipping Petalburg gym and coming back later."

There was a brief pause and Salty nodded, silently asking her to elaborate.

Stella crossed her arms over her chest and looked down. "My father is the gym leader. He, ah... well..."

"Well?"

Stella bit her cheek "I had a cleffairy once. Her name was Fae. My old friend in Johto, Ariana, got her for me." She bit her lip, took a deep breath, and continued. "Ariana got in with the wrong people and moved to Kanto. She was a Team Rocket member. My father accused me of being a Rocket and got one of his pokemon to kill Fae because he thought she was what was making me a Rocket... Fae was my best friend...I didn't see Fae die, but..."

Salty frowned. "That's... a sad story, Miss Stella, but... don't you want revenge?"

"Revenge..." Stella bit her cheek in thought. "Well... not long after Fae... Dad moved out here. This will be the first time I see him. I'm going to wait, Salty. I want to show him that I'll be so powerful, he'll never take another one of my friends!"

"...You never had friends other than Fae and Ariana as a young girl, have you?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm a bit of a loner, Salty... Stay here, I need to pop into the Pokemart for a second.. Want company?" Stella proposed the Pokeballs to him. Salty nodded. In a flash of red, Xyler and Freckle materialized in front of Salty, who was perched upon a sign.

"Don't go anywhere!" Stella called out as she stepped into the building.

Salty checked over his shoulder to make sure their trainer was out of earshot before he started talking. "Boys... We can't die."

The other two pokemon looked puzzled.

"It would crush poor Miss Stella. She had a Cleffairy and she was killed. Losing one of us would kill her."

Xyler crossed his arms over his chest, scowling "You don't give her enough credit. You should see her in battle. A complete war machine."

Salty ruffled his feathers "What about after the battle, Xyler? She goes back to her soft spoken, soft hearted self!"

The treecko blushed "...I-...you're right. We can't do anything stupid." With that comment, Salty glared over at Freckle in a harsh manner.

The eccentric zigzagoon nodded vigorously. "I promise! I won't die no, siree! I'll keep livin' and fightin' for Stella!"

"What are you going to do for me, Freckle?" Stella smiled softly, a bag of pokéballs and potions dangling off her wrist. She kneeled down and scratched Freckle's bristly head fur.

"I promise I won't die!" Freckle repeated with an air of sureness.

Stella picked up the young brown pokemon and held him to her chest. "Oooh... of course you won't, Freckle..."

Salty smiled fondly at the tender moment between pokemon and trainer. Such devoted trainers are hard to come across now a days; most pokemon are just used and thrown out like tissue

"Ahh, excuse me... trainer?"

Stella turned to find a boy, about her age, looking rather shy. Stella's own shyness kicked in. "Um, me?"

He nodded , and bit his knuckle. His hair was such a cool shade of green and his eyes matched.

"What is it you need, son?" Salty spoke for his bashful trainer. Stella was thankful for this.

"Well..." he spoke softly, avoiding eye contact. "I'm moving soon, and I need ...ah, could you maybe..." his voice lowered to a mumble and Salty tilted his head

"Can't hear ya."

"Help me catch a pokemon?"

There was a short pause as Stella thought about. The boy looked exceptionally nervous. She smiled. "Sure thing...Wait, what's your name?"

He seemed very happy about this, even did a slight bounce, and he had a big grin. "I'm Wally. And thanks so much."

"No problem, Wally" Stella returned her pokemon to their balls and led the boy out onto 102.

They ventured out into the tall grass, wading through it in search of a pokemon. It was a rather awkward 4 minutes. Eventually, they happened across a pokemon.

A Ralts.

Wally's eyes glimmered at the sight of the teeny psychic type. The Ralts peered up at them curiously.

"I want to catch that pokemon there." Wally said quietly, pointing at him. Stella nodded and handed him two pokéballs; an empty one, and Freckle's ball.

"Let Freckle out and tell him to tackle the Ralts to weaken him." She directed.

Wally pressed the release button on the ball and Freckle appeared on the ground in front of them. He looked up at them quizzically.

"Freckle" Stella smiled. "Listen to Wally, okay? Help him catch a pokemon."

He nodded excitedly, bouncing from paw to paw "Yeah, yeah, okay, okay"

Wally smiled a bit at the eccentric zigzagoon. "Tackle that Ralts, okay?"

Freckle raced off, slamming himself into the Ralts, who squeaked in surprise. Freckle pinned the young psychic type on the ground, tail wagging happily as it struggled.

"I-I throw the pokeball now right?" Wally asked cautiously. After seeing Stella nod, he called out to her pokemon. "Freckle, get off him".

Freckle obliged. Wally tossed the ball, enveloping the pokemon in a beam of red light. The three of them watched breathlessly as the ball shook. Once. Twice. Three times. Ping.

Wally exhaled, relieved. "I...I caught...I caught a pokemon." He gingerly picked up the ball and stared at in as though this entire thing has been a dream. A massive grin spread across his face.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He squeaked in excitement, wrapping Stella in a tight hug. She gave a small 'oof' of surprise and giggled, patting his back. "You're welcome!"

He let her go and bounced lightly on his heels. "No, seriously, thank you so much, Stella." He grinned, handing her Freckle's ball. "I have to go, my parents are waiting, I was supposed to meet them, like...10 minutes ago." And with that, he left.

Stella simply smiled.


	5. Loud Personalities

**AN: This is my favourite chapter so far :3 **

**I think you'll like it3**

**Also, there is a bit of 'offensive language' in here. **

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><p>Stella sighed softly at the scent of the ocean, the salty breeze whipping through her hair as she stepped onto route 104. It reminded her of back home in New Bark Town in Johto. She'd step out of her house and smell the sea. Her mom will tell her that her father went across that sea to Kanto before...<p>

She glanced down at the pokéballs on her belt, swaying and lightly clinking against each other as she walked through the grass. Past Petalburg Woods was Rustboro City. There was a rock type gym there. She two stroked the shiny red and white balls. Xyler and Salty would be useful for this. She hoped that Freckle wouldn't take it personally, but he had a disadvantage. Wait, Salty did too, part flying...

As Stella came to the outskirts of the forest a wave of nervousness sprung over her. What if she got lost? She looked down at the pokéballs again, and let Xyler out. Surely, she couldn't get lost guided by a grass type pokemon.

Xyler climbed onto her shoulder wordlessly, and Stella scratched his chin. They stepped into the forest. Stella was surprised at how dark it was in here. Xyler giggled in glee, leaping from one tree to another, staying close by his trainer the whole time.

Stella stepped lightly, noticing little huddles of tiny, but toxic pokemon ground around her. Wurmples and the occasional shroomish.

"Excuse me trainer?" A man in a rather shockingly green suit approached her. "Have you seen any shroomish around here? I do love that pokemon."

Stella nodded slowly "Yes, in fact I saw some just over th-"

"HEY!" a rough sounding voice growled. "I was _waiting_ to ambush you, little worker man, but you were wasting time in here!"

The man cowered behind her.

_SHIT! I was going to do that! _Stella thought, looking up at the man wide-eyed.

He had a broad build and dressed sorta like a pirate. Actually, it was a pretty cool outfit. But either way, there was a pirate lunatic in front with her, a snarling poochyena by his side.

That's the total opposite of good.

"Ah... a little trainer? Cute little girly, you going to fight me to protect that asshole?" Pirate Guy sneered.

Business Man spoke then. "Please, trainer, you have to help me! I have top-secret information I need to prot-"

He didn't finish what he was saying before the poochyena was commanded to tackle Xyler, knocking the tiny gecko through some thorns and into a tree. He emerged, wincing and his leering.

"Xyler! Absorb!" Stella barked, and the little gecko nodded, sucking the life out of the Poochyena, who grew more ferocious, leaping at him with open jaws, hungry for treecko blood.

"Pound!"

Xyler twirled, smashing the pokemon in the nose with his thick heavy tails, making it yelp and jump back with a teeny whimper, blood dribbling down its muzzle. It backed off, but not before he smashed him again on the top of the head, making the black canine crumple to the ground in defeat.

The pirate was displeased. "Your faggoty treecko smashed my pokemon in the face!" he snarled.  
>Stella gave him a ludicrous look. "Yeah, and he won. Vamoose."<p>

Grumbling angrily about water or something, he returned his pokemon to his ball, leaving in the direction he came.

"Oh thank you!" Business man grinned, grabbing her hands with his rather uncomfortably sweaty ones, shaking them vigorously. He reached into his pocket and placed a blue and red pokeball where in here hands. "Here, here, have this as thanks. Now, I must deliver these goods. Goodbye trainer!"

Stella stood there dumbfounded, Xyler standing on her shoe, chest heaving from the excitement. "Great job, Xy" she said quietly, sitting on the ground cross legged, pulling a spray bottle from her bag "I'll pull those thorns out of you."

Several minutes passed, in silence, as she plucked the thorns from him, and spritzing each area with the potion. It was a comfortable silence.

Stella stood up, picking Xyler up and putting him on her shoulder. "There." She said quietly, as they continued to walk through the woods.

"Stella..." Xyler said quietly. He still found it rather odd to not call her 'Lady'. "That man was talking about Aqua. What's Aqua?"

She shrugged. "A fancy word for water?"

He sighed in frustration. "I know what it means, but that's not what he meant..."

"Don't think too much of it." She said. He nodded.

There was a bit more walking to do until Rustboro. Not much, but it seemed longer, as Stella liked to take her time, and was also on the lookout for more 'pirates'

Xyler spied the Pokemon gym, and bounced a bit on Stella's shoulder. "Stella, the gym!"

He pulled at her hair and hat impatiently as she walked past it, instead walking straight through Rustboro town and into the outskirts on the other side.

"What! Stella! The gym!" he gasped, completely flabbergasted.

Stella shook her head. "We need to train some more." And with that she released her pokemon in preparation for a vicious training montage.

It slipped Stella's mind completely to catch a pokemon here.  
>"Alright gang..." she announced. "Let's try the tunnel."<p>

As they stepped inside, they heard a loud, bloodcurtling...wait was that a death-metal growl?

"_**!"**_

Salty grimaced. "What in Arceus' name..."

The source of the noise turned out to be a small pink pokemon.  
>An inappropriately named whismur, as she made noises that certainly were NOT whispers.<p>

"'M Screamo." she said, in a voice that was much too gruff for such a teeny female pink thing. Oddly, it still held a bit of a feminine touch.

A twisted grin spread on her face. "Fight me, trainer."

It only took a couple of Salty's water guns to bring her down.

"UGH" she groaned loudly. "Fine. I'm stickin' with you trainer. Catch me."

Stella sighed, pulling out a pokeball, and tossing it at her. This whismur was annoying. And honestly... she wasn't sure if she was going to be worth it. Screamo broke out of the ball, looking displeased

"PUT SOME EFFORT INTO IT, DAMMIT!" she growled, making Salty crack her upside the head with his wing. "Don't you dare disrespect Stella like that"

Stella narrowed her eyes at Screamo. "Alright then..." she said quietly. She cast a glance at Freckle and gave a short nod.

"HAAH!" Freckle laughed in some sort of silly zigzagoon war call, and smashed the whismur into a wall and Stella threw her next pokeball at her, resulting in a successful capture. She released Screamo, who wasn't beat up too bad, and looked at her team. "Alright," she nodded. "Commence the training"

After the massive training montage, Stella found that her new team addition was very valuable. One loud yowl from Screamo was enough to make some wild pokemon's ears bleed and/or cause them to retreat or pass out from pain. She was a little heavy metal powerhouse.

She went to the pokemon centre to fix her team up a bit and looked at the doors to the Rustboro gym, grasping Salty and Xyler's pokéballs in her hands.

With a deep, calming breath, Stella stepped into the building, blinded momentarily by the florescent lighting.

"I'm here to challenge Roxanne." She spoke, her voice faltering just a tad, but carrying throughout the gym.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I didn't mention it, but I also caught a Taillow (female, named Divine) and a Shroomish (male, named Hank.) But I already have a flying and grass types so they're in the box c:<strong>


	6. Versus Roxanne!

The Rustboro stadium was surprisingly expansive. It almost looked bigger on the inside, but of course, it couldn't be, it just looked smaller outside in comparison to the larger buildings. The terrain was rocky; and Stella couldn't help but smirk to herself a bit. Her pokemon have learned how to handle the uneven, rough grounds after training around the Rusturf Tunnel.

She had a good feeling about this.  
>But she also had a twang of nervousness.<br>_What if I'm not good enough? What if my pokemon aren't ready? What if one of them gets seriously injured? Or worse..._

A girl, a young one, probably around 23, stepped out, with a slight smile. She walked down toward the centre of the gym, and Stella did the same, standing in the white semi-circle on the left side. The girl, who Stella presumed was the gym leader, extended her hand.

"I'm Roxanne" she said pleasantly, as Stella shook it, with slightly jittery hands. "I'm the gym leader here, are you ready for the battle?"

How diplomatic. Stella nodded stiffly. "I am." She had to discipline her voice, as to prevent it shaking with anxiety. But, she felt a bit proud of herself. This was a major step. Maybe by the end of the league, she'd be free of all social anxiety? _If I even make it that far._

Roxanne nodded, walking back to the other end of the field. Stella followed suit, walking toward the other end. The gym was silent, with the exception of the crunching of gravel under their shoes.

They turned to face each other. Roxanne pulled a pokeball off her belt, and tossed it into the stadium, catching it as it bounced back, in the characteristic flash of red, a geodude materialized in front of them and levitated into the centre of the stadium. Stella reached for the second pokeball on her belt and pointed it upwards, pressing the button.

Salty flapped his wings, flying low, sending up little clouds of dust with each wing beat. He soared over to centre stadium, sizing up his opponent.

"Defense curl!" Roxanne barked her command out and the geodude coiled her thick, rocky arms around herself, bracing himself for Salty's attack.

"Water gun!" Stella commanded.

Salty flapped upward, and shot a short, forceful burst of water at the geodude, chipping her rocky skin a little. She winced in pain, but trucked on the same.

Roxanne scowled a little. "Rock throw!"

Stella's eyes widened. Salty is part flying type. "Salty!" she yelled, slightly panicked.

In a swift movement, he flew backwards, shooting another jet of water at the rock, sending it back towards the geodude. However, she caught it easily between her hands and tossed it again, this time, hitting him, and sending him spiralling toward the ground.

Stella's breath hitched in her throat and tears stung her eyes.

_No..._

But then, suddenly, a weakened Salty flapped his way back up into the air again. Stella sighed in relief.

"Water gun again!" she commanded, her voice a lot more positive now.

And he obeyed, cracking the geodude back against a rather jagged looking stone, knocking her unconscious.

Roxanne bowed her head, and returned her pokemon back to her ball. "Alright." She said quietly and tossed out another ball, and with a loud *THUD* a nosepass stood across from her.

Stella swiftly returned Salty to his ball, and tossed out Xyler's ball.

The little meek treecko stood there for a moment, surveying the area, then set eyes on his opponent. The nosepass was about two feet taller and weighed at _least_ 200 pounds, whereas Xyler himself was only 9 pounds. He looked over his shoulder at Stella, who grinned at him. So Xyler assumed a battle stance.

Roxanne started off with Rock Throw, which did a small chunk of damage, Xyler, wincing in pain.

"Absorb!"

Xyler bounded into the air, landing onto a rock near the nosepass, crossing his wrists and absorbing his energy. The amount of minerals in its flesh and also the magnetic field did much energizing for him, but hardly seemed to affect the pokemon at all!

Wait... did he just _chuckle _at him?

"Rock tomb!"

As if which telekinesis, one of the boulders on the stadium rose with a crunching noise and flew toward Xyler, making him call out in pain.

"Ah-absorb again!" Stella stammered, she was confused, terrified and intrigued by the nosepass all at once. "Jump on him and absorb! He moves slowly!"

With a spring with surprising energy for a reptile that just got smashed with a giant rock, he clung to the side of the nosepass, absorbing his energy, and slowly healing himself, but it still didn't seem to do too much damage to him.

"Nosepass!" Roxanne called out, a slight laugh in her voice. "Increase your magnetic field"

Wait... what did _that_ mean?

Xyler focused on absorbing the energy, though it didn't give him any more energy, it cut down his. Nosepass did as Roxanne commanded and suddenly... the boulders closest to him started levitating. In a blink of an eye, the boulders smashed themselves against the Nosepass, and in turn, crushing Xyler between a rock and a hard place. _Literally. _The boulders must have iron in them...

Xyler gave a couple spluttering coughs. He was being _crushed_. But yet, he still continued to absorb, and absorb and absorb, despite feeling himself growing weaker...and weaker. Wait, did he just cough up blood?

Stella took an involventary step back when the boulders dropped, Xyler, slid down off the side of the Nosepass, who collapsed on the ground, weakened significantly, but not yet defeated Her treecko was in rough shape, a couple broken bones must be there, but, yet he had his absorb, the healing energy.

Xyler winced, stiffly and weakly climbing atop of the nosepass, absorbing the rest of his energy, and his wounds seemed to heal as if by magic. He leapt down and turned to face the gym leader, who returned Nosepass to his ball.

"I believe that is a victory, Miss Roxanne?"

Stella left the gym with a new badge, and a new appreciation for the power of her pokemon.

"Hellpppp! My goods!"

...Why did that voice sound familiar?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I do hope I didn't scare you too much with Salty and Xyler! :c<strong>

**Ahmahgawd, that Nosepass has more defence than like... idfk.**


	7. Devon Corp

**AN: It's NaNoWriMo time, so here is this chapter to tide you over for a bit. I'll be back up and running at the end of November3**

* * *

><p>Stella stared up into the face of the same panicking business man she met in Petalburg Woods, still in the painfully bright green suit, still getting his 'goods' stolen. If they were that important, wouldn't they be better protected? Whatever.<p>

"Ohh! Trainer!" he sighed in relief. "I need your help again, would you mind trainer, would you please?"

Biting at her lip, she shook her head, and gestured to Xyler, who was whimpering quietly on her shoulder, bruised and broken, cocooning himself in her caramel hair. He took a step back and gave a slight nod. "You should take that treecko to the pokemon centre, he's in rough shape."

Stella nodded at him with a slight smile and walked toward the direction of the pokemon centre.

Green Business guy was someone else's problem now.

After about a half hour, Xyler and Salty were healed well. Salty looked in tiptop shape, and Xyler had a smug grin upon him, which was quite out of place on such a meek pokemon.

"Got my first battle scar" he announce, pride lacing his voice, looking over his shoulder at the small, thin scar on his back where some rock was embedded in his skin.

Salty gave him a congratulatory nod, though the scar was quite tiny and he wasn't sure of the appeal of such. Just out of politeness, one could assume.

Returning them to their pokéballs and feeling an intense pride in her pokemon and herself, she had a bit of confidence in her steps as she walked out of the pokemon centre, smirking at the world as the glass doors slid open.

Then she shrieked.

"I didn't mean to alarm you!" Business man said, jumping a bit himself and Stella groaned. Why her! "But um- m-my, my goods?"

Rubbing her face in frustration, she glared up at him from under her bangs. "Where are they at." She sighed and when he pointed her in the direction, she simply released Screamo and walked off toward that general direction, grumbling. Well, she needed more training anyway.

Screamo very much enjoyed herself as she annihilated any wild pokemon that dare step in their path. Actually, Stella and Screamo were very much beginning to respect each other.

Stella sighed a bit. "Honestly, I don't give a damn about this guy's 'goods'. If they were that important, they'd be guarded better, right?" Screamo nodded in agreement.

"I dunno why yer doin' it" Screamo sighed. "You're a tad too shy, Stells."

Yeah, that was really true. She was much too shy and it got her pushed around easily. It's not that she wanted to be pushed around; it's just that she couldn't stand up for herself.

"Aww, shit.." Screamo's voice dropped to a low, sad tone. "What's wrong with that old dude?"

Huh. Stella frowned a bit. There indeed was an older man, who seemed rather distressed.

"Hey, guy, what's wrong?" Screamo said quietly, walking over to him, and looking up at him. Biting her cheek, Stella followed after.

The man, tearfully told a story of some "punk ass pirate kid" running through with a suitcase and nabbed his wingull, Peeko, followed by a roar of "PEEEEEEEKKKOOOOOOOOO" which even made Screamo wince at its volume.

"Shit, Stella, we really need to find that guy. Stealin' pokemon from people's just fucked up!"

She nodded and assured the man they'd find Peeko, and he pointed in the direction of the cave the pirate guy must have gone into.

"Screamo, why do you swear so much?" she groaned as she walked into the cave and looked around, running her hand over the sleek stone.

Her response was simple. "I just do."

Stella wasn't expecting anything different, honestly. The whismur then bolted ahead, toward a man at in the center of the tunnel, a wingull by his side. The Pirate guy...

"Hey jerkface!" She snarled and the pirate guy just grunted and kicked her against a wall with a thud.

That wasn't going to fly well. Stella clinched her eyes shut. No. No no. Too many memories that want to be dug up.  
>Small, pink, normal type with spunk tossed against a wall.<br>Not again.  
>No.<br>No.  
>Not again, please, oh, Arceus, never again.<p>

Stella pressed a button on a ball, just, someone, please. Any one of her pokemon would do, but Xyler would be best and Xyler it was.

Now, Stella never understood how when pokemon are in their balls they just seem to know about what's going on outside. But Xyler lept over near Screamo and helped her up, then barked at the pirate guy, calling him a vicious brute.

He glared over at Stella. "Heh, you look like you seen a ghost. These brats yours?"  
>She shook her hands a bit to relax herself a little, making her too long sleeves flap a little like an oversized zubat. "Yes." She said quietly.<p>

"Well, I was supposed to nab this and this is a dead-fucking-end and this wingull is useless and now I'm pissed off so I'm going to take it out on you!"

He tossed a pokeball and out came a snarling poochyena, lunging for Stella. In a swift movement, Xyler leapt and cracked it with his tails. "I don't think so!" Xyler spat, chest heaving, already engrossed in the thrill of the battle.

The poochyena snarled, baring its yellowed fangs at him, and leapt toward him, tackling him, but it didn't do too much damage. With one last move, an absorb attack, the poochyena tumbled to the ground and then, something happened.

With a flash of white energy light, Xyler evolved into a grovyle.

"Wow." He gasped, looked around at himself, particularly admiring the long leaf coming off of his head. "I look cool."

They left Rusterf tunnel with the goods, and Peeko. The man thanked them over and over, offering his boat for free rides when they needed it.

Once Stella finally returned the man's goods for the second time that day, he insisted that she met his boss.  
>After much persistence, she caved (unsurprisingly) and went into the Devon building.<p>

It was just like she imagined it; full of sweaty business men in painfully bright coloured suits of red and green. She silently wondered if they were all elves and if she was going to meet Santa Clause.

Once the man led her up to the third floor, Stella stuck her hands in her sleeves, feeling rather anxious being in an expensive looking room.

"So... you're the one who rescued the goods, correct?" An older looking man said to her, sitting behind a desk with rather important looking papers stacked in neat piles.

She nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm Stella Varley."

"Norman Varley's daughter, correct? I am Mr. Stone, head of Devon" He said, tilting his head with curiousty. She nodded. Norman's kid, Norman's kid. She guessed that was her title.

"I must thank you, greatly." She blushed a bit and waved it off as nothing.

"Now, may I ask you to deliver a letter to my son?" he asked, clasping his hands together. A sheepish scientist added an "a-and this part for the shipyard?" which went almost unheard.

Stella frowned a little bit. She really didn't want to do more favours...

He got up and smiled, pulling something out of the desk. "Obviously, I'm not expecting you to work for free, Ms. Stella." He handed her a little egg shaped piece of technology, in a lovely shade of lilac. She turned it over in her hands, confused as to what it was.

"That there, is a PokeNav." He said with a smile. "It has an interactive map of Hoenn. Now..." he took it and went to the map, pointing to areas on it. "I need you to deliver this letter to my son in Dewford, and this piece of machinery to the shipyard in Slateport right...here."

Stella nodded, taking all of this information in.

"The PokeNav also has a variety of other functions I'll let you figure out on your own." Mr. Stone said with a firm nod, handing her the letter and part for Slateport. "Get to er, Stella."

"Yes sir."


End file.
